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Executioner Pierrepoint by Albert Pierrepoint (2005) Hardcover
For the first fifty-six years of the last century the name of Pierrepoint appeared on the short Home Office list of qualified executioners for Great Britain and Ireland. The list also being accepted by the Irish Republic when it became independent. For most of that time a Pierrepoint was nominated as the official executioner. The Pierrepoints have been, in succession, Henry Albert Pierrepoint, his brother Thomas William, and Henry’s son.
Albert Pierrepoint became an executioner in 1931, at the age of 27, and resigned his office as Official Executioner in 1956. In 1949 he gave extensive evidence to the Royal Commission on Capital Punishment. He stated to the Commission: “I have operated on behalf of the state, what I am convinced was the most humane and the most dignified of meting out death to a delinquent – however justified or unjustified the allotment of death may be – and on behalf of humanity I trained other nations to adopt the British system of execution. It is fact which is of no source of pride to me at all – it is simply history – that I carried out the executions of more judicial sentences of death than any executioner in any British record or archive.”
This autobiography now offers a documentary record of his experience, which in retrospect he summed up as follows: “I do not now believe that any of the hundreds of executions I carried out has in any way acted as a deterrent against further murder. Capital punishment, in my view, achieved nothing except revenge.
Albert Pierrepoint became an executioner in 1931, at the age of 27, and resigned his office as Official Executioner in 1956. In 1949 he gave extensive evidence to the Royal Commission on Capital Punishment. He stated to the Commission: “I have operated on behalf of the state, what I am convinced was the most humane and the most dignified of meting out death to a delinquent – however justified or unjustified the allotment of death may be – and on behalf of humanity I trained other nations to adopt the British system of execution. It is fact which is of no source of pride to me at all – it is simply history – that I carried out the executions of more judicial sentences of death than any executioner in any British record or archive.”
This autobiography now offers a documentary record of his experience, which in retrospect he summed up as follows: “I do not now believe that any of the hundreds of executions I carried out has in any way acted as a deterrent against further murder. Capital punishment, in my view, achieved nothing except revenge.
216 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2005
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
October 18, 2011
Put this book out of its misery
Pierrepoint, Britain's last hangman, used a system of variable drops to snap the convict's neck instantly - killing them as humanely as possible. I only wish he'd found a method for dispatching his sentences as painlessly.
There is no ghostwriter and it shows. I'm not entirely sure there was an editor, either. In describing his childhood, every conceivable detail is named: half a page on the way his aunt took the lid off a bottle of gingerbeer. I wish I was kidding.
I'd already seen the movie Pierrepoint when I spotted this book in a charity shop. I'd read that Pierrepoint came out as an advocate against the death penalty in his later life, and that (at one point) he lived in my old neighbourhood. These two factoids were enough to get me reading - but once I was reading... oh dear.
I know 'it sent me to sleep' is overused, but seriously I've been using this a sedative for a fortnight or more. I'm barely a third of the way through it. It's turgid, dull-dull-dull and just screams "look at me using big words and gazing at my own navel 'cause now I'm a writer."
The interesting bits - ie his attitudes to life and death, and taking another’s life, and why the hell he was drawn to that kind of work - he seems unwilling or unable to engage with. Only that it's about dignity, but most men don't understand, and ladies never understand. And he is forever grateful to his wife for her 'discretion' in never ever mentioning the fact that he was, y'know, killing people for money on the side.
The past is a different country. A weird, emotionally-repressed one with extremely long sentences.
Pierrepoint, Britain's last hangman, used a system of variable drops to snap the convict's neck instantly - killing them as humanely as possible. I only wish he'd found a method for dispatching his sentences as painlessly.
There is no ghostwriter and it shows. I'm not entirely sure there was an editor, either. In describing his childhood, every conceivable detail is named: half a page on the way his aunt took the lid off a bottle of gingerbeer. I wish I was kidding.
I'd already seen the movie Pierrepoint when I spotted this book in a charity shop. I'd read that Pierrepoint came out as an advocate against the death penalty in his later life, and that (at one point) he lived in my old neighbourhood. These two factoids were enough to get me reading - but once I was reading... oh dear.
I know 'it sent me to sleep' is overused, but seriously I've been using this a sedative for a fortnight or more. I'm barely a third of the way through it. It's turgid, dull-dull-dull and just screams "look at me using big words and gazing at my own navel 'cause now I'm a writer."
The interesting bits - ie his attitudes to life and death, and taking another’s life, and why the hell he was drawn to that kind of work - he seems unwilling or unable to engage with. Only that it's about dignity, but most men don't understand, and ladies never understand. And he is forever grateful to his wife for her 'discretion' in never ever mentioning the fact that he was, y'know, killing people for money on the side.
The past is a different country. A weird, emotionally-repressed one with extremely long sentences.
September 19, 2012
One of the most interesting reads I have ever come across. An idea of how different society was in the 1st half of the 20th century. Britains most infamous executioner shares his experiences from an extremely professional point of view.
January 10, 2021
Read for research. Writing was not his main skill.
January 6, 2020
Historically/from a criminology perspective this book is very interesting, but it is hard to follow as the writing jumps around a lot in terms of the timeline of events.
I was a little disappointed by the writing , and otherwise I think it is probably a very good account of his life. The book is more about his life generally, then his execution work. Don’t expect too many details (like names, characters, interactions or experiences of people he dispatched) as he keeps 99% things private for the respect of the prisoners due to be hung. He writes about one incident that took place before a hanging in the entire book.
The book ends with him saying he resigned but not why, which is fair enough - but frustrating to read. Oh and also several times in the book he goes about setting the record straight by explaining certain gossip is nothing but rumours- but this happens a little bit sporadically and randomly which makes the book feel, in places, like a conversation you’re listening in on. This is not necessarily a negative - it was just something I didn’t find easy to read.
From reading this book I do still feel he was an extraordinary man and one society was incredibly lucky to have, and in that sense it is worth reading.
I was a little disappointed by the writing , and otherwise I think it is probably a very good account of his life. The book is more about his life generally, then his execution work. Don’t expect too many details (like names, characters, interactions or experiences of people he dispatched) as he keeps 99% things private for the respect of the prisoners due to be hung. He writes about one incident that took place before a hanging in the entire book.
The book ends with him saying he resigned but not why, which is fair enough - but frustrating to read. Oh and also several times in the book he goes about setting the record straight by explaining certain gossip is nothing but rumours- but this happens a little bit sporadically and randomly which makes the book feel, in places, like a conversation you’re listening in on. This is not necessarily a negative - it was just something I didn’t find easy to read.
From reading this book I do still feel he was an extraordinary man and one society was incredibly lucky to have, and in that sense it is worth reading.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 19, 2020
First the negative points. Pierrepoint’s writing style is very verbose and he takes a lot of time to describe very simple things especially during his childhood. Secondly the kindle version is so riddled with typos that it is practically unreadable in places.
However, bearing those points in mind, this book is a fascinating read. It is fascinating as social history- not only in terms of crime and punishment but also in the morals and perceptions of the past - Pierrepoint is very squeamish about discussing the details of his role in front of women for example.
Pierrepoint is the first to acknowledge that his education was cut short by the necessity of supporting his family after his father died and it is clear that he is not a natural writer. His style is at times clunky and formal but that does not detract from his very simple and humanitarian approach to a horrific job that few could want to do. His principles of professionalism and efficiency without judgement are a consistent theme and he does not indulge in sensationalism or tawdry detail. Overall it is a compelling slice of history from an uncomplicated man who I suspect suffered in silence from the effects of his role. Well worth a read if interested in the social history of crime and punishment. Anyone seeking salacious gruesome stories will have to look elsewhere.
However, bearing those points in mind, this book is a fascinating read. It is fascinating as social history- not only in terms of crime and punishment but also in the morals and perceptions of the past - Pierrepoint is very squeamish about discussing the details of his role in front of women for example.
Pierrepoint is the first to acknowledge that his education was cut short by the necessity of supporting his family after his father died and it is clear that he is not a natural writer. His style is at times clunky and formal but that does not detract from his very simple and humanitarian approach to a horrific job that few could want to do. His principles of professionalism and efficiency without judgement are a consistent theme and he does not indulge in sensationalism or tawdry detail. Overall it is a compelling slice of history from an uncomplicated man who I suspect suffered in silence from the effects of his role. Well worth a read if interested in the social history of crime and punishment. Anyone seeking salacious gruesome stories will have to look elsewhere.
March 25, 2011
fascinating autobiography of Albert Pierrepoint who was hangman in the U.K. for over 25 years.
Great read on a macabre subject from the day to day technicalities to the moral issues of execution in which Albert reveals that he resigned from his post because he concluded that execution solved nothing and was not a deterrent to murder.
Great read on a macabre subject from the day to day technicalities to the moral issues of execution in which Albert reveals that he resigned from his post because he concluded that execution solved nothing and was not a deterrent to murder.
June 4, 2008
One hell of a job this man had!!
January 20, 2019
A very insightful and interesting read but not for those who are squeamish!
September 4, 2022
Britains most notorious hangman, worth a read even if it is a macabre subject.
He certainly had hanging perfected, going into details about his methods yet preserving the identity of many of his prisoners, only giving names of the most infamous or whose identity the families have permitted.
He never gives an exact number and maintains he doesn’t see it as a deterrent and hopes no one else ever has to do it.
I’ve read more detailed books on execution, yet this was his autobiography of his thoughts and life.
He certainly had hanging perfected, going into details about his methods yet preserving the identity of many of his prisoners, only giving names of the most infamous or whose identity the families have permitted.
He never gives an exact number and maintains he doesn’t see it as a deterrent and hopes no one else ever has to do it.
I’ve read more detailed books on execution, yet this was his autobiography of his thoughts and life.
May 22, 2024
Quick look at other reviews clearly shows that you don't like the idea of punishment for the crime.
Author might not be the best of writers but it's not a novel, it's an account of a remarkable career in one of the most difficult jobs (at one point Pierrepoint was one of very few executioners in the country).
True professional who was able to carry out an execution within 20 seconds (!) from the moment he walked into prisoner's cell.
He himself didn't believe capital punishment worked yet after it was abolished murder rate in Britain had gone through the roof.
Very important book
Author might not be the best of writers but it's not a novel, it's an account of a remarkable career in one of the most difficult jobs (at one point Pierrepoint was one of very few executioners in the country).
True professional who was able to carry out an execution within 20 seconds (!) from the moment he walked into prisoner's cell.
He himself didn't believe capital punishment worked yet after it was abolished murder rate in Britain had gone through the roof.
Very important book
December 23, 2016
A highly insightful read into the British judicial execution system - especially after WWII, and a fascinating look into the life of the author, and how he managed to juggle being a high-profile executioner along with having a regular life. Absolutely enthralling and fascinating as well.
November 5, 2018
Insightful book by a man who seemed to quiet
May 28, 2020
Interesting but one dimensional look at this bleak subject.
August 31, 2020
I hate being beaten by a book but I was.
January 24, 2023
This is not a well written book, but the story it tells is very important
December 26, 2023
Loved it I have quiet a fascination with executioners especially the pierrepoints and this was brilliant and informative but not as good as the book pierrepoint a family of executioners
March 1, 2024
A very interesting read. Perspective and context. The practical summation of an important role.
June 21, 2016
This is a curious but by no means uninteresting book. Nobody would succeed in getting a book like this commercially published nowadays (a very different style and structure would be required) and this shows how the industry has changed in the 40 years or so since it was first published. However, by avoiding the tricks and tropes of the trade that tend to bedevil modern-day writing Pierrepoint's simple, straightforward approach brings its own rewards.
By and large, this is a chronological account of Albert Pierrepoint's 25-year career as a public hangman. It starts with a long (and rather unnecessary in my opinion) account of his childhood but in the process we are introduced to Albert's father and Uncle Tom, both of whom served as an executioner before Albert and from whom the younger man learned the rudiments of his trade whilst serving as an executioner's assistant. In parts, the period detail is both fascinating and highly revealing.
The middle section of the book was the most interesting to me, although one has to point out that it is understandably pretty grim in places given the subject matter. Pierrepoint dispenses some fascinating facts. For example, an executioner's pay remained the same (£10 per killing) for 40 years; if a man was reprieved at the last moment then Pierrepoint received no pay at all, even if he had travelled from one end of the country to the other in expectation of performing a hanging (it's not clear from the text but I don't think he even received his travel expenses); Ireland had no public hangmen at all and so used to 'borrow' Pierrepoint or a colleague if capital punishment was required, etc. Also, thanks to this book, I am now able to calculate the approximate length of 'drop' required should I ever have occasion to hang myself! Eight foot two inches, should anyone be interested.
Sometimes Pierrepoint gets rather too bogged down with the technicalities of his profession, some of which would surely only have been of interest to fellow hangmen. His book is quite repetitive and would certainly have benefitted from some editing. I also found it strange that he says nothing whatsoever of his life and career after he stood down as a hangman in 1956, especially given the fact that he does include an account of his childhood at the beginning. However, the book can certainly be recommended for its unusualness, its valuable insight into a relatively unknown profession and the light it shines on a barbaric period in British history. Pierrepoint constructs a powerful case against the death penalty: "Capital punishment, in my view, achieved nothing except revenge".
By and large, this is a chronological account of Albert Pierrepoint's 25-year career as a public hangman. It starts with a long (and rather unnecessary in my opinion) account of his childhood but in the process we are introduced to Albert's father and Uncle Tom, both of whom served as an executioner before Albert and from whom the younger man learned the rudiments of his trade whilst serving as an executioner's assistant. In parts, the period detail is both fascinating and highly revealing.
The middle section of the book was the most interesting to me, although one has to point out that it is understandably pretty grim in places given the subject matter. Pierrepoint dispenses some fascinating facts. For example, an executioner's pay remained the same (£10 per killing) for 40 years; if a man was reprieved at the last moment then Pierrepoint received no pay at all, even if he had travelled from one end of the country to the other in expectation of performing a hanging (it's not clear from the text but I don't think he even received his travel expenses); Ireland had no public hangmen at all and so used to 'borrow' Pierrepoint or a colleague if capital punishment was required, etc. Also, thanks to this book, I am now able to calculate the approximate length of 'drop' required should I ever have occasion to hang myself! Eight foot two inches, should anyone be interested.
Sometimes Pierrepoint gets rather too bogged down with the technicalities of his profession, some of which would surely only have been of interest to fellow hangmen. His book is quite repetitive and would certainly have benefitted from some editing. I also found it strange that he says nothing whatsoever of his life and career after he stood down as a hangman in 1956, especially given the fact that he does include an account of his childhood at the beginning. However, the book can certainly be recommended for its unusualness, its valuable insight into a relatively unknown profession and the light it shines on a barbaric period in British history. Pierrepoint constructs a powerful case against the death penalty: "Capital punishment, in my view, achieved nothing except revenge".
July 8, 2014
While some have mentioned that this is a little long winded (I started to ignore the lyrics of songs that are intermittently strewn about the narrative) it was still an interesting read because of the perspective that it came from.
It's interesting to note that Pierrepoint didn't relish in what he did and looked to treat his victims with as much humanity and dignity as he could and finally came to believe that there was no deterrent effect in capital punishment and that once people started using it as a means of revenge rather than justice that it should no longer be carried out.
He was also partically caustic about the American method of hanging which he stated led to a slow stragulation rather than a clean break.
Recommended reading for those who argue that the state should be allowed to kill it's own citizens.
It's interesting to note that Pierrepoint didn't relish in what he did and looked to treat his victims with as much humanity and dignity as he could and finally came to believe that there was no deterrent effect in capital punishment and that once people started using it as a means of revenge rather than justice that it should no longer be carried out.
He was also partically caustic about the American method of hanging which he stated led to a slow stragulation rather than a clean break.
Recommended reading for those who argue that the state should be allowed to kill it's own citizens.
November 30, 2012
A strange book but fascinating both for the job he did and the way it captures this period of British history. His way of describing events and his role of executioner are low key but no less facinating for that. One of the events I wish he had touched more on was the fact that he hung Timothy Evans who was innocent and then hung Christie who had really committed the murders. Would have been interesting to know whether it caused him any sleepless nights. I think anyone who wants an informed view on the death penalty would do well to read it.
March 21, 2016
This book should have been excellent but was anything but. The sentences were laboured, it had a very clunky writing style and Pierrepont was reluctant to go into any detail on how he felt about the arduous task he was undertaking. I can't recommend it, I'm afraid.
March 30, 2014
What an odd book! It was quite interesting but takes a rather strange tone throughout. It would have benefitted greatly from a brutal editor.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews